Design recommendations for Abuja

using Mahoney table

A write up

Presented by

IZEVBEKHAI B.O.
ARC/05/5615

Submitted to
The department of architecture in partial fulfillment for

the course Building climatology

Lecturer in charge
Prof. Olu Ogunsote

1st of September, 2011

 Abstract

The Mahoney tables is a climatic table designed to utilize climatic data of a particular
location in this instance Abuja to make design decisions that would make the building not just
user friendly but also climate friendly thus reducing the amount spent on mechanical installations
to rectify uncomfortable situations.

For this write – up, I have used the climatic data for Abuja as provided for by the web site
sited in my references. Using the data along with the various tables I was able to come up with
design recommendations for Abuja.
Mahoney tables

History of Mahoney Tables

The Mahoney tables are a set of reference tables used in architecture, used as a guide to climate-

appropriate design. They are named after architect Carl Mahoney. They were first published in

1971 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The concept developed

by Mahoney (1968) in Nigeria provided the basis of the Mahoney Tables, later developed by

Koenigsberger, Mahoney and Evans (1970), published by the United Nations in English, French

and Spanish, with large sections included in the widely distributed publication by Koenigsberger

et al. (1978). The Mahoney Tables (Evans, 1999; Evans, 2001) proposed a climate analysis

sequence that starts with the basic and widely available monthly climatic data of temperature,

humidity and rainfall, such as that found in HMSO (1958) and Pearce and Smith (1990), or data

published by national meteorological services, for example SMN (1995).

Uses

The Mahoney tables also specify the thermal performance of recommended walls and roofs in

greater details as follows:

 Light walls should have maximum U-value, maximum solar heat factor and time

lags or heavy walls as required and decided based on the design consideration.

 Also solar heat factors can be decided from the design actions gotten from the

climatic data on the Mahoney table.

When the climatic pattern emerging from the data clearly corresponds to warm humid or hot dry

types, it is relatively easy to arrive at performance specifications. In composite climates, the

seasonal requirements may be contradictory. For simple passive buildings, not assisted by

mechanical means of heating or cooling, Mahoney worked out a weighing system to assess the

relative importance of conflicting requirements. The system takes into account the duration and

severity of the various climatic factors. The Mahoney tables classify precisely the nocturnal and

diurnal thermal stress in centigrade scale of temperature. The comfortable hot and cold periods

are clearly outlined.

Remedial Actions

The thermal stress gives an indication of the remedial actions of the architect should be

taken to make the design comfortable for the users, and determine the period that there is need

for ventilation, rain protection and thermal storage and this thermal stress and decision are based

on the humid and arid indicators.

When the climatic pattern emerging from the data clearly corresponds to warm humid or

hot dry types, it is relatively easy to arrive at performance specifications. In composite climates,

the seasonal requirements may be contradictory. For simple passive buildings, not assisted by

mechanical means of heating or cooling, Mahoney worked out a weighing system to assess the

relative importance of conflicting requirements. The system takes into account the duration and

severity of the various climatic factors. The Mahoney tables classify precisely the nocturnal and

diurnal thermal stress in centigrade scale of temperature. The comfortable hot and cold periods

are clearly outlined.

 Location: Abuja Year: 2011 Longitude: Latitude: Altitude: Highest Dry Bulb Annual Mean Annual Mean
7.0oE 9.2oN 344m Temperate: 46oC Temperature:26. Range: 39oC
Lowest Dry Bulb 5oC
Temperate: 7oC
January February March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec
Mean Monthly maximum 30 33 37 40 40 46 40 40 45 41 40 39
Mean Monthly minimum 15 17 21 25 27 18 9 9 9 13 11 7
Range
15 16 16 15 13 28 31 31 36 28 29 32
Climatic Data

Average Relative Humidity 19 16 14 21 37 50 65 75 68 41 22 21

Humidity Group 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 3 2 1 1
Mean Monthly Rainfall (mm) 8 5 1 3 23 53 144 177 88 5 8 4
Day comfort limits Min 26 26 26 26 25 25 23 22 23 25 26 26
Max
34 34 34 34 31 31 29 27 29 31 34 34
Night comfort limits Min 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17
Max
Diagnosis

25 25 25 25 24 24 23 21 23 24 25 25
Thermal Stress Day Ο Ο ┼ ┼ ┼ ┼ ┼ ┼ ┼ ┼ ┼ ┼
Night
─ Ο Ο Ο ┼ Ο ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─
Air movement essential H1 1 Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο │ Ο Ο Ο Ο
Air movement desirable H2 0 Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο
Rain Protection H3 0 Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο
Indicators

Thermal storage A1 11 │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Ο │ │ │ │
Outdoor Sleeping A2 5 │ │ │ │ │ │ Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο
Cold season problems A3 0 Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο Ο

Table 1.0:

Mahoney Table: Data collection and Analysis

Average Relative Humidity (%) Humidity group

0-30 1

30-50 2

50-70 3

70-100 4

Table2.0:

Humidity Groups

Annual Mean Temperature over 20o C

Humidity Group
Day Night

1 26-34 17-25

2 25-31 17-24

3 23-29 17-23

4 22-27 17-21

Table 3.0:

Determination of Comfort Limits

Indicators Meaning Thermal Stress Monthly Rainfall Humidity Group Month mean
temperature range
Day Night

H1 Air movement Hot 4 Less than 10oC

essential
Hot 2,3

H2 Air movement Comfortable 4

desirable

H3 Rain protection Over 200mm

necessary

A1 Thermal capacity 1,2,3 More than 10oC

necessary

A2 Outdoor sleeping Hot 1,2

desirable
Hot Comfortable 1,2 More than 10oC

A3 Protections from cold

cold

Table 3.0:

Determination of Humid and Arid indicators

Supplementary data for the Mahoney Table

Design Utilization of the Indicators Recommended Design Actions

Layout A1 (0-10) or A1 (11-12) + A3(5- a1 Long axis east-west

12)

A1(11-12) + A3(0-4) a2● Compact Courtyard planning

Spacing H1 (11-12) b1 Open spacing for breeze penetration

H1 (2-10) b2 Open spacing, protect from winds

H1 (0-1) b3● Compact planning

Air movement H1(3-12) or H1(1-2) +A1 (0-5) c1 Single – banking, Permanent ventilation

H1(1-2) +A1 (6-12) or H1(0) + c2● Double – banking, temporary ventilation

H2(2-12)

H1(0) + H2 (0-1) c3 No air movement required

Size of opening A(0-1) + A3(0) d1 Large, 40-80% of wall area

A1(0-1)+A3(1-12) or A1(2-5) + d2 Medium, 25-40% of wall area

A3(4-12)

A1 (6-10) d3 Composite, 20-35% of wall area

A1(11-12) + A3 (0-3) d4● Small, 15-25% of wall area

Position of openings H1(3-12) or H1(1-2) + A1(0-5) e1 In North and South walls at body height

H1(1-2) + A1(6-12) or H1(0) + e2● In North and South walls at body height, also in internal walls
H2(2-12)

H1(0) + H2(0-1) e3 Has no climate – related valve

Protection of openings H3 (0-2) + A3 (3-12) f1 No special protection necessary

H3 (0-2) + A3 (0-2) f2● Exclude direct sunlight

 H3 (3-12) + A3 (0-2) f3 Protect from rain and direct sunlight

H3 (3-12) + A3 (3-12) f4 Protect from rain

Walls and Floors A1(0-2) g1 Light, low heat capacity

A1(3-12) g2● Heavy, over 8 hours long time lag

Roofs H1(0-12) + A1 (0-2) h1 Light, reflective surface and cavity

H1(10-12) + A1 (3-12) or H1 (0- h2 Light and well insulated

9) + A1( 0-5)

H1 (0-9) + A1 (6-12) h3● Heavy, over 8 hours time lag

Outdoor Sleeping A2 (0) i1 No provision for outdoor sleeping required

A2 (1-12) i2● Space for outdoor sleeping required

Rain protection H3 (1-12) j1 Provide adequate rainwater drainage

H3(1-2) j2 Protection from heavy rain needed

H3 (0) j3● No protection from heavy rain needed

Totals Humid Indicators H1 = 1 H2 = 0 H3 = 0

Arid Indicators A1 = 11 A2 = 5 A3 = 0

Table 4.0

Design Recommendation
The tables use readily-available climate data and simple calculations to give design guidelines, in
a manner similar to a spreadsheet, as opposed to detailed thermal analysis or simulation. There
are six tables; four are used for entering climatic data, for comparison with the requirements for
thermal comfort; and two for reading off appropriate design criteria. A rough outline of the table
usage is:

1. Air Temperatures. The max, min, and mean temperatures for each month are
entered into this table.
2. Humidity, Precipitation, and Wind. The max, min, and mean figures for each
month are entered into this table, and the conditions for each month classified into
a humidity group.

3. Comparison of Comfort Conditions and Climate. The desired max/min

temperatures are entered, and compared to the climatic values from table 1. A note
is made if the conditions create heat stress or cold stress (i.e. the building will be
too hot or cold).

4. Indicators (of humid or arid conditions). Rules are provided for combining the
stress (table 3) and humidity groups (table 2) to check a box classifying the
humidity and aridity for each month. For each of six possible indicators, the
number of months where that indicator was checked are added up, giving a yearly
total.

5. Schematic Design Recommendations. The yearly totals in table 4 correspond to

rows in this table, listing schematic design recommendations, e.g. 'buildings
oriented on east-west axis to reduce sun exposure', 'medium sized openings, 20%-
40% of wall area'.

6. Design Development Recommendations. Again the yearly totals from table 4

are used to read off recommendations, e.g. 'roofs should be high-mass and well
insulated'.
Conclusion

The Design recommendations are made on the basis of the remedial actions needed to be taken to
alleviate thermal distress.

Layout: There should compact courtyard planning to enhance thermal storage.

Spacing: The spacing should be compact to reduce breeze penetration.

Air Movement: The use of double - banking to assist ventilation and thermal storage.

Size of Openings: Recommended to use small windows to increase thermal insulation.

Position of Openings: To assist body cooling during the day.

Walls and Floor: Abuja should have designs that utilize heavy materials with high time lags to
be effective in thermal storage and help to make the day time discomfort bearable.

Roofs: is to be heavy.

Outdoor Sleeping: It is needed to make provisions for outdoor sleeping for certain months of the
year.

Rain Protection and Drainage: is not necessary as there is no heavy downpour of rain.
Reference

O. Ogunsote, An introduction of building

Web site: http://www.myweather2.com